The Ministry of Science and Technology of China has approved the establishment of the State Key Laboratory (SKL) of Molecular Neuroscience at HKUST to build upon an existing foundation of excellence in molecular neuroscience at the university. The SKL of Molecular Neuroscience is the first laboratory focused on neuroscience research in Hong Kong and also the first SKL at HKUST.

The crucial groundwork for establishing the SKL of Molecular Neuroscience was first conducted through the establishment of the Molecular Neuroscience Center (MNC) in 1999, which successfully brought together a core team of talented researchers to push the frontiers of neuroscience research. Based on this solid foundation, HKUST was awarded the Area of Excellence (AoE) in Molecular Neuroscience by the University Grants Committee (UGC) in 2001. With the support from the UGC and the university, team members have made exciting breakthroughs in neuroscience research. These outstanding achievements have confirmed our international standing and have propelled neuroscience to become a flagship research program in Hong Kong.

In parallel, the generous support from the Innovation Technology Commission and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust have allowed us to set up world class research infrastructure on drug discovery, through which we have successfully identified promising drug leads for neurological disorders. The AoE scheme, along with the support from the Innovation Technology Commission and Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, have contributed towards developing and implementing the required framework for the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience.